On Old Age

On Old Age A. Scripture teaches us to honor and respect the elderly. LEV 19:32 c/w ISA 3:5; 1TI 5:1. 1. This must be instilled early in children in home life. EPH 6:1-3. 2. Among adult peers, respect may need to be earned. But this is not the case with little children: respect, honor and reverence is normally a parent’s due. Do not not allow your children to disrespect you without consequence. B. The grey head is a thing of beauty. PRO 20:29. 1. For a righteous person, it is a crown of glory. PRO 16:31. 2. The lack of hair is no reason to disrespect the aged. 2KI 2:23-24. C. The fear of God tends to lengthen life. PRO 10:27; 3:1-2. 1. This fear is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom which hates evil. PRO 1:7; 9:10; 8:13. 2. This fear is the sum and duty of man. ECC 12:13. 3. This fear should prevent you from sinning when nobody but God sees (HEB 4:13) and He sees very well. 4. This fear can save you from many life-shortening natural consequences of sinful acts. PRO 10:27; ECC 7:17. 5. This fear will restrict your appetites and indulgences, which, when not governed, will tend to sully and shorten life. TIT 2:12; PHIL 4:5. 6. This fear will save you from life-shortening wrath from God directly. ACT 5:1-11. 7. Thus, one has the best chance of finishing life like Abraham. GEN 25:8. D. Even after sin entered which abbreviated man’s lifespan there were long-lived men. GEN 5:27. 1. After the Noachian flood, lifespans began to reduce considerably. GEN 25:7. 2. By the time of Israel’s entrance to Canaan, 110-120 years was a very full life. DEU 34:7; JOS 24:29. 3. Moses observed that the average lifespan was 70-80 years. PSA 90:10. a. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s lifespan was about 33-1/2 years. b. This underscores another aspect of how much Jesus Christ was legally made sin for us as He bore our curse to His cross. 2CO 5:21 c/w PSA 55:23. c. His death and burial were only interruptions of His eternal life, and this is the hope of believers also. 1TH 4:13-18. E. It is unlikely that we will die as Moses with all faculties intact. DEU 34:7. 1. It is more likely that we in old age will realize ECC 12:1-7. 2. Age takes its toll on the mind and memory so heed ECC 12:1. 3. Youth should meditate upon God, His works, His judgments, His promises, etc. so that godliness will be a virtual second nature when the senses and mind fail. 4. Early training in Scripture tends towards godly, healthy living begun early in life and concluding a good life. PRO 22:6; LAM 3:27; 2TI 3:15. 5. Youth is too often wasted on the young and it is a sad thing to see adults still acting like little children who are indifferent to reality and responsibility. MAT 11:16-17; 1CO 13:11 c/w ECC 11:9-10. F. Old age should accord with mature thinking and wisdom. JOB 32:7. 1. Mature people are not easily swayed from established principle and sound doctrine. On Old Age 8-20-23 Page 1 of 2  EPH 4:14. 2. Wise people will stand ever ready to be corrected by sound doctrine and argument. LUK 1:17; 7:35 c/w ECC 4:13. 3. The hoary head is a crown of glory in righteousness, not obstinance. PRO 16:31. 4. We ought to grow in grace (2PE 3:18), not disgrace. G. An aged person may not be materially wealthy yet still pass on a good inheritance to subsequent generations, per PRO 13:22; 2CO 12:14. 1. It should be hoped, though, that by the time of old age, one should have figured out how to negotiate the realities of life and not spend all of one’s wealth on vanity. PRO 21:20. 2. There is a balance to be struck between responsible stewardship of labor and resources, and an excessive devotion to labor and resources. MAT 16:26; LUK 12:21. 3. In the absence of a great estate to pass on to heirs, the aged ought to at least set a godly example of living for the young. TIT 2:2-5. 4. The aged believer should show the younger generation the superior merits of heavenly treasure. MAT 6:19-21. 5. A good prayer is PSA 71:17-18. 6. A good saint will not cast off faith or his place in God’s house for indifferent causes, and this should speak volumes to younger generations. PSA 23:6; 92:13-15. 7. A good saint can even magnify God in the infirmities of old age, trusting God and His grace to bear him through to the end. PHM 1:9; 2CO 12:9. 8. A good saint will lay claim to the faithful promises of God to His aging people and pray accordingly. ISA 46:4; HEB 13:5 c/w PSA 71:9. H. It behooves us to finish our course with honor. 2TI 4:6-8. 1. As your minister, I dread the thought of dishonoring my office and calling. 2. My plea to God is that I can sign off like Paul and Samuel. ACT 20:33-35; 1SAM 12:1-5. I. Let all plan accordingly. PSA 90:12. On Old Age 8-20-23 Page 2 of 2